Introducing
Your new presentation assistant.
Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.
Trending searches
Type: Suspension
Location: San Francisco, California
Date Built: May 27th, 1937
Type: Beam and Suspension
Location: Between Danish Islands of Zealand and Funen
Date Built: June 14th, 1998
Type: Through Arch
Location: Sydney, Australia
Date Built: March 19th, 1932
The Through-Arch design will be more efficient without undermining the charm that the current bridge provides as an icon of Southern Maryland. By redesigning the layout of the lanes and the height, as well as adding safety features, the new Solomons bridge will provide an experience that travelers and daily commuters will find to be safe and convenient.
"Australia.gov.au." Sydney Harbour Bridge. Australia.gov.au, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
Babcock, Jason, and Meghan Russell. "Local." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 14 July 2011. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
"Bridge Basics." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
"Bridge Failures - Most Famous Bridge Disasters." Bridge Failures. History of Bridges, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
"Critical Analysis of the Great Belt East Bridge, Denmark." Bath.ac.uk. University of Bath, Apr. 2009. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
Dyson, Roy. "Thomas Johnson Bridge - "SAFE AND SOUND?"" Somd.com. Southern Maryland Online, 9 May 2008. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
Gargulinski, Ryn. "Suspension Bridge Strengths & Weaknesses." EHow. Demand Media, 05 Feb. 2010. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
Gascoigne, Bamber. "HISTORY OF BRIDGES." HISTORY OF BRIDGES. History World, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
"Golden Gate Bridge." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Mar. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
"Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Feb. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
"Great Belt Fixed Link." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Mar. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
"List of Bridge Types." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 May 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
"Sydney Harbor Bridge." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Mar. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
"Thomas Johnson Bridge." Thomas Johnson Bridge. St. Mary's College of Maryland, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
By Maggie Allison, Megan Brien, Courtney Hamm, Sarah Mazur and Hannah Pulley
The Thomas Johnson Bridge has been an important attribute of Southern Maryland for over thirty years. It was built to connect two counties, and to make life easier for the citizens of Calvert and St. Mary's County, but this purpose of the bridge has long since been outdated as this area continues to develop. Our design was made with the intent to combat the current problems of the Thomas Johnson Bridge, while also increasing the appeals of life in Southern Maryland. The entirety of our community and its livelihood can be seen from the top of the bridge; Comehasama's design will not only preserve the symbolism that the Thomas Johnson Bridge encapsulates, but will expand upon it to make the bridge mean even more to those who will use it for many years to come.
Research Information
Some are concerned about the safety of the Thomas Johnson bridge while others are more inclined to feel bothered by the inconvenience it has infamously posed on more than one occasion. Senator Roy Dyson (D) voices both of these grievances by declaring, "Well, I am one Marylander who is concerned about one bridge in particular - the Thomas Johnson Bridge. This two-lane 31 year old span over the Patuxent River links St. Mary's to Calvert County. Today, it accommodates three times the traffic it was built to handle. The Thomas Johnson Bridge is the site of an ongoing traffic jam. One needs the patience of Job to travel over the bridge twice a day as I do, along with thousands of others, including commuters from the Pax River Naval Base in St. Mary's County," in a 2008 opinion article posted on somd.com (Dyson par. 3 and 4).
Height, traffic, low side barriers, and weather conditions are all factors contributing to the discomfort of commuters crossing the Thomas Johnson Bridge, with weather being the most popular concern.
Opinions of Officials
Nearly all answers indicated a positive response toward the addition of pedestrian and bicycle lanes to the bridge.
“It could be much, much lower. But I also understand there is currently a nice view of Solomons when you’re up there. The lower you go, the lesser the nice view.”
- Calvert Commissioner Evan K. Slaughenhoupt Jr. (R)
The level of traffic was most clearly measured as moderate by most responders, most of whom encountered it "occasionally" or "rarely" though those who traveled more often over the bridge cited the traffic as more frequent.
“One thing I didn’t want to see is one bridge parallel beside it, so you have one higher and one lower.” - Calvert Commissioner Jerry Clark (R)
“So then it comes down to the fact that it is a lot more expensive to build a new bridge at the same height as the old bridge, versus the additional justification of it being a stunning visual marker. That’s the kind of thinking that should be going on.” - Calvert Commissioners' President Susan Shaw (R)
“Lowering the bridge would potentially reduce costs. They do not need that height anymore."- Jeremy Beck, SHA project manager
Public Opinion Survey
“At the time it was built, I don’t think we could have foreseen the amount of people that use it today. We need a new bridge. It’s just not even debatable.” - Calvert Commissioners' President Susan Shaw (R)
Quotes extracted from (Babcock and Russell, "St. Mary’s Commissioners").
Two lanes for each direction just like the lanes of Route 4.
(Wikipedia, Through Arch Bridges)
ARCH DESIGN
THROUGH ARCH DESIGN
(Public Opinion Survey)
(Great Belt Fixed Link, Wikipedia.)
(Wikipedia, Golden Gate Bridge)
(eHow, Suspension Bridge Strengths and Weaknesses.)
Example of Lights
(Critical Analysis, Bridge Engineering Conference 2009.)
Emergency box on Brooklyn Bridge
(Wikipedia, Thomas Johnson Bridge.)
Type: Arch/ Beam
Location: Solomons, MD
Date Built: January 1978
(Sydney Harbour Bridge, Wikipedia.)
(Wikipedia, Thomas Johnson Bridge.)
(Wikipedia, Thomas Johnson Bridge.)
Thomas Johnson Bridge Redesign
The Thomas Johnson Bridge
Named after Maryland's first governor, the Thomas Johnson Bridge was built in 1977.
Thomas Johnson
The Thomas Johnson Bridge is in need of a redesign - a new bridge for a changing and growing community. Our company has re-imagined this Southern Maryland landmark to not only improve upon the outdated bridge, but to honor the community by preserving the beautiful aesthetic of the original design .
The Benedict Bridge, a half an hour drive from the Thomas Johnson Bridge.
In 1988, cracks in the foundation of the bridge resulted in months of repair. The bridge was closed and many were forced to take a detour to the Benedict Bridge.
(Wikipedia, Thomas Johnson Bridge.)